While growing up in Germany in the 1930s, Rudolf falls in love with the girl next door, Gertrude. He doesn’t care what religion Gertrude practices but the Nazis do. When the first antisemitic laws are enacted by the Nazi government, Gertrude’s father loses his job at the local university. Unable to find employment in Germany, he accepts a position at Istanbul University and moves the family to … Turkey. Rudolf, desperate to follow Gertrude, takes a position working at the consulate in Istanbul with the very government which caused her exile. With Rudolf finally living in the same city as Gertrude, their reunion should be inevitable, but he can’t find her. During his search for Gertrude, he stumbles upon Rosalyn, an American Jew working as a nanny in the city. Upon hearing his heartbreaking story, she immediately agrees to help him search for his lost love. Willing to do anything in their search for Gertrude, they agree to work for a British intelligence officer who promises his assistance, but his demands endanger Rudolf and Rosalyn. As the danger increases and the search for Gertrude stretches on, Rudolf and Rosalyn grow close, but Rudolf gave his heart away long ago.
How far would you go to find the woman you love?
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D.E. Haggerty
Searching for Gertrude: A World War 2 historical romance
ARC REVIEW
Gertrude
This story was beautiful, and heartbreaking both at once. Great story!
Searching for Gertrude take you on a hunt to find a girl of a young man love. Will he find this true love he lost. The young man is German and he has some issues with his government.
We learn about the laws that are going down in Germany at the beginning of Hitler Resign. The Nazi believed that Germans were not allowed to marry Jews. Will Rulfoff find this love or will Rudolf get his answers by searching for the girl he fell in love with when he was young. Things to go down hill when his love of his life family must move away to Turkey. He is determined to find her.
He goes undercover for his government even though he does not follow or like this government laws and ideas. As a German consulate there are a few surprises along the way will he go against or follow this government as he is now working for them. Find out by reading.
Rosalyn is an American Jew who come to Turkey to be a Nanny. Rudolf stumbles upon her in his search for Gertrude and ask her for help. Does she help him or not you will need to read the story to know for sure.
Rosalyn come to Turkey for her own reason as well. There is twist and turns throughout the book. Will Rosalyn do as she came to do in Turkey. The author does a wonderful job with the plot. I could not put it down and the fact, that she shows the time and era and history behind what going on in Turkey. Is Turkey with Nazi or they Nurteral during the War. If you are a historical fiction reader or just like learn some facts about history. This book is a good one to pick up. Want to learn more about Germany or Nazi Germany and other surrounding areas or Turkey in the 1930’s.
A story to keep you glued to your seat, Searching for Gertrude kept me totally engrossed and I was unable to put the book down. Having spent some time in Istanbul, and also having lived in Israel for a number of years on a work assignment, I was familiar with the echoes of the stories in this book. Love knows no boundaries, and as Rudolf meticulously planned his search for Gertrude, taking years to bring him to a place where he could eventually begin his quest, he finds that the task is much more difficult that he first anticipated. Suspicion and mistrust abound everywhere, especially in the German Consulate where he worked. Rosalyn, on the other hand took responsibility for people who couldn’t help themselves but it is with a breaking heart that she observes the devastation. Finding herself the go-between between a British spy and a German embassy official, she gets caught up in the frightening day to day role as a courier, until it becomes clear that to continue puts everyone she holds dear in danger. This suspenseful romance is really well written with a tender love story that evolved out of the pain, and it ends on a triumphant note. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
I have found another gem! I can’t say this is a hidden gem since it’s a new release, but it is a gem! I’ve been trying for days to come up with words to express my feelings for and about this book and I still don’t think these will be adequate, but here goes…
The past couple of years I’ve been lucky to find, (or have they found me?!?), these unassuming little books that I, in no way, could have imagined the impact they would have on me. I love when I’m completely wrapped up in a book and the whole world fades away. That’s what happened to me on Sunday when I started this book, I could not put it down. And I didn’t, until I devoured every last word. Searching for Gertrude had me completely mesmerized as I journeyed along with Rudolf and Rosalynn in what started as a quest to find Rudolf’s long lost love Gertrude, but developed into so much more.
This book, these characters, I was consumed by them! This story is beautiful and heartbreaking and captivating. It’s charming and engaging and I didn’t want it to end. I loved that we got to be inside both Rosalynn and Rudolf’s heads, so we were able to see things from each of their points of view during a very tumultuous time in the world. I appreciate how much research and detail went into this book, as it really brought the characters and story to life. What a truly inspiring, sweet, and endearing book!
Searching for Gertrude is already a top read for 2018!